Entering The Space between The Movements

In this writer’s opinion, it is good that there has been some discussion among teachers about what happens in the time between T’ai Chi Chih movements. I have found Justin Stone’s advice, “Always trust your experience” to be very valuable.

TCC practitioners might have come to call the stance when a movement finishes as “rest pose” or “rest position”…. But is it really rest?

We are taught that in movement, the Chi segregates into yin Chi and yang Chi, and that the reason we come to a position of stillness then, with the knees slightly bent and the palms of the hands facing the floor, is so that the yin Chi and yang Chi re-integrate, or come back into a state of unity (the uncarved block). It also is said that yin Chi and yang Chi become balanced, and that is why we keep our concentration in the soles of the feet both during movement, and when movement comes back into stillness.

Justin has written, “Awareness is the root of T’ai Chi Chih.” I believe that this is not only awareness of the form of the movements (i.e. shifting the weight, softness and continuity, circularity and polarity) but also awareness of what is happening in the interior – feeling the Chi moving through the body and noticing the dynamics of the Chi energy during the practice.

If we really pay attention, something happens each time we come back into the position of stillness after each set of movements; we can feel this. Being sure that the knees are slightly bent and our focus is in the soles of the feet is crucial to feeling what might be like settling down or balancing of energy (Chi).

We are asked to hold the closing posture for at least four or five seconds (according to the Phototext). After a sufficient period of time in stillness, to this writer, the mission has been accomplished, and it is a time to let go. I feel this letting go on theinterior – perhaps as a release in the tan t’ien, perhaps as a release of the bent knees, perhaps a release of the hand position.

The point for this writer is having learned that the exterior (body position) is a reflection and outflow of the interior (when the balancing and coming together of yin and yang is complete). Pay attention and let it be as it needs to be.